Hearts Of Ice
by Destiny Kurogane
Summary: The sorrow that resides in Inuyasha brings him divine aid. Will this mean the death of Kikyou?
1. Default Chapter

Hearts of Ice 

"Inuyasha!" 

Ebony hair, a nice scent... Those eyes... 

_Kikyou...?_ He shook his head. _No! She's dead! Kagome..._

"Come on Inuyasha... It's time to go!" The painfully familiar face smiled at him, and then she took off running. Then it cut to an image of Kagome's angry face and then another of Kagome playing with Shippou, laughing with Sango and Miroku, eating dinner with her family, sleeping in her own bed back home. 

Inuyasha didn't appreciate this intrusion on an already uneasy slumber. _Let me out of this stupid dream! Don't torture me with her when I can't have her!_

A flash of light blinded his eyes and a girl fell from the sky... 

_Damn it! I'll protect you, Kagome!_ Inuyasha ran at the strange girl, ready to fight her. 

--------

"Damn!" Inuyasha woke up in a cold sweat. "Dreams... They're a curse." He sat up on the tree branch that had been his bed, and stared down at a certain beauty who along with her counterpart, tortured his soul. "Damn you, Kikyou," he muttered. _I could almost curse you for making me love you!_ Pent up anger boiled inside him. No matter how much physical resemblance was there, Kagome was not Kikyou. And something inside of him simply refused to let Kikyou go. _Kagome needs somebody who can love her the way she deserves... Not somebody who's still hung up over somebody else... Like me._ He suddenly looked over at Miroku, and cringed. _Just not him!_ For just a minute, he forced himself to think about Hojo, that guy that Kagome had mentioned from her own time once or twice before. That only made him even more depressed. He knew it was selfish of him to want Kagome to stay solitaire, while he planned to leave with Kikyou someday. But he couldn't help it. _It's obvious... I know she likes me... Like that. But how could I do that to her!? If only I could just forget..._ He shook his head. _Ugh... Don't fool yourself. No one can take Kikyou's place._ He turned away from Kagome, and walked away to a nearby cliff, crouching down. "Heh... People talk about miracles and prayer... Miracles... Pah! As if any deity would care about me!" 

Suddenly, a flash of light blinded him. 

"What!?" Inuyasha turned his head up to the sky. _What the hell is that!?_ He saw a blinding light flash above him, and within seconds, he could make out a form falling toward him. 

"Shit!" he exclaimed aloud without thinking, and jumped to catch it. 

It, which Inuyasha could soon easily see was a small girl, seemed to float right into his arms. 

"She's light," he muttered. _But she's shining..._ Then he noticed the girl had pale hair. _My dream!_ He closely studied the creature he held. 

Then, the girl opened her eyes. She smiled. "Hello. I'm Suki*. Are you Inuyasha?" 

"Gah!" He dropped her, letting her fall to the soft growth of moss below her. 

She hit the ground with a soft thump. "Well... That was unexpected!" 

"Who- What are you?!" 

"Why, don't you know?" Suki stood up, and brushed herself off. 

Inuyasha stared at her, speechless. Acting upon instinct, he drew the Testsusaiga. 

"Don't!" she cried out, shocked that he would even consider such a thing. "Don't you see? I am like you! I'm a halfling." She grinned. 

"Eh?" He looked her over. "White skin, yellow hair... You don't look like any demon _I've_ ever seen!" 

"Demon!? That's ridiculous! I am half angel. And the rest of me is human." 

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Angel...? What's an _angel!?"_

She frowned, her lips pursing in offense. "You don't know what an angel is!? And you're a demon!? Demons are spawns of hell. I am of heaven. A heavenly maiden. I've been sent to you." 

"A holy thing!?" Horror stories he'd heard as a child about holy creatures made him jump back away from her. "Don't touch me! Or I'll turn you into a rotting corpse!" 

"Fear not. I cannot harm you." 

"Well... Like you could anyway!" Inuyasha made himself look as tall and menacing as was possible. "I'm not afraid of some angel!" 

"Hmph..." 

Inuyasha sheathed his blade, but his eyes remained suspicious. How are you half _angel,_ or whatever? What's your story?" 

"Simple. My mother was an angel sent to aid a mortal man. They fell in love, and, well, I was the result. The Creator is a loving master though, and did not punish her. Instead, It said that I must be cared for in both worlds. I have been raised in heaven as an angel, but now I am sent to walk among humans. I must be careful however, to make sure that I do not make the same mistake my mother did." 

Inuyasha sat down. _Master? Creator? Rabble about gods no doubt... Worthless._ "How did you know my name?" 

"Why, I am here to help you! Since time has no meaning in the heavens, I can go to whatever era or physical plane I want. But I cannot return to paradise until I have performed a sort of miracle for someone else. That's difficult for half angels like me, since we don't have all of the benefits that a full angel does. I was assigned to help you. And I can look into your thoughts." 

_Miracle... Did someone... Really hear me?_ "My... Thoughts?" 

"About... A pretty young girl. Kagome?" 

He growled. "Listen! You stay the fuck out of my head"- 

She brought a hand to her mouth, astounded at his terrible language. "Please, don't be mean to me! I only want to help you!" 

"Well then go away!" 

"Well, I can't do that now. I've taken up a mission... I can't leave until I complete it." 

"And just what is this mission of yours?" He scowled at her. He couldn't help but notice her ears, which were suspiciously shaped somewhat like that of some demon he'd seen. _Sesshoumaru... He has ears somewhat like that too. So did... My father. _

"Why, to make sure that if you and your Kagome are really meant to be together, that it comes to pass!" 

"You're some... _Angel,_ and you don't get it?! There's someone else involved!" 

Suki noticed the look of pain in his eyes, and tried to recall any and everyone else she had seen while looking through his thoughts. That other woman, who held a remarkable resemblance to Kagome... Could she be who he meant? _I see a great purity... Love... Power... Betrayal... And now bitter hatred. Kikyou..._ "Kikyou?" 

"Do you know her or something? I dunno, maybe priestesses talk to angels..." 

"No... I don't. I just... Know. She died, didn't she?" 

He sighed, his countenance fading to misery. "Yeah... But then an ogre brought her back. Now she's just a bunch of mud and ashes. But..." His temper flared. "It's none of your business anyway! I don't want your damned help! So go away!" 

"You're the one who called for me!" 

"Called for you? What the hell are you talking about? I never called for anyone!" 

"Maybe you don't realize it... But you did. Why, with a little extra boost from the master, namely me"- 

Inuyasha decided to change the subject. Talking about Kikyou to a stranger made him uncomfortable. "Who is this _master_ you keep spouting about?" 

"Why, It is the creator of all things. It created this very world, and... Well... I shouldn't say too much." 

"Hmph." _Yep. A religion freak. Just as I thought._ Inuyasha grimaced. "Alright lady, how do you help me? What do I have to do?" 

"What do you want Inuyasha?" 

"I want... It to end." He sat down, looking pretty despondent. "I want Kikyou to stop suffering, and move on. I thought about going with her... A part of me wants to, but then I think and... Well... Everything I loved about Kikyou is in Kagome now. But I like Kagome for herself too! But it's easier I guess to keep loving the face you remember, instead of trying to... Take everything and put it on something else." 

"You're afraid to let go, I think. Realize this, Inuyasha." Suki sat down next to him. "You wouldn't be abandoning Kikyou. Kikyou's time is over. The dead belong in _my_ world. Letting her go would only be a step in guiding her to where she belongs." 

"But I don't want her to go!" Inuyasha's breathing was now heavy with sorrow. "You can't possibly understand how I feel!" 

"That's what I'm here for. To help you deal with this. Inuyasha... You should have died that day, too. But the will of the powers that be kept you alive. I think that alone is proof that you and Kikyou simply weren't of one destiny." 

"Maybe... It doesn't make it any easier. If only I had trusted her more... Then it never would have happened..." 

She looked over at him, overwhelmed with pity. She felt so sorry for people who didn't understand that the life beyond this one was so much better. What did he think Kikyou was going to move onto? An eternal darkness? She realized now what she'd come here for... An exorcism. The dead simply could not walk among the living. _And besides... Kagome... He loves her too. That's what's tearing him apart._

"What are you gonna do?" 

"Well Inuyasha..." She didn't want to say, "destroy the demoness that Kikyou has become." That would be the very truth of what she intended to do, but that would just translate to Inuyasha as, "I'm going to kill her." No, that wouldn't go over well. 

"Magic. That's what you're gonna use. Isn't that what people like you do anyway? What's your magic gonna do, huh?" 

"Magic? Ha! I can use a bit of what you call magic, but I don't think that is the answer to your problem." 

Inuyasha was greatly confused. _What's she here to do anyway? Help Kikyou... That's gotta be it. _

Suki brushed some strands of her incredibly long hair behind her ear. "I will be travelling with you Inuyasha. So get used to me." 

"You're crazy!" Inuyasha scowled. "You go with me? That's... No!" 

"You think Kagome will get jealous?" 

"I..." _Yeah... She would. She was about to cry when she saw me and Kikyou... The last thing I need is a stupid angel following me around and talking to me all the time like now! I don't want to hurt Kagome anymore... "I don't care what she thinks!"_

She laughed. "Well, no worries. You see, once she knows I'm an angel, she'll never, ever believe that you could ever have feelings for me, or me for you." 

"I said I don't care!" He seethed with anger. "And she won't know what you are. If I didn't know what an angel was, she won't either. And you're _half_ angel!" Inuyasha felt that she was pretending to be a true holy creature, untainted by human blood, just to give herself airs. _Well, I won't let her! Bitch!_

"Ah, but you'll be surprised." She smiled. "You should sleep now." 

_She smiles too much!_ "What about you? What are you going to do?" 

"Why, I'll stand by you." 

"I don't plan on sleeping." 

"Insomia?" 

"I guess, whatever that is." 

---------

_Inuyasha..._ Kagome opened an eye. 

"I had a dream about you before you came. Was that a result of you poking around in my head? You'd better not do that again or I'll"- 

"Did you? Your mind must be stronger then I thought then, if you could foresee my arrival." 

_Kikyou...?_ Kagome slowly raised her head, some black strands falling out of the way of her eyes. _A girl!_ She stared at the strange creature, standing with Inuyasha. _Such long hair... So pretty. But what is she doing with Inuyasha? Did he say he dreamed of her?_

"I thought it was just the imagination of a demented soul, at first. But then you fell out of the sky!" 

Kagome couldn't stand it. _Another girl? Who is that!?_

Suki suddenly looked over in her direction. "Ah. Somebody is awake." 

Inuyasha turned his head in Kagome's direction, seeing that her eyes were opened, already looking incredibly pained. "Ka... Kagome! It's not... Really, it's not!" Inuyasha immediately felt ashamed of himself. _Why should he explain his doings to her? It's none of her damned business anyways. I can talk to whoever I want!_

Kagome, knowing this was her chance to be angry, sat up, glaring at them both. "Well what else am I supposed to think, you carrying on with a strange woman in the middle of the night"- 

"Calm, Kagome. It really _isn't_ what you think." Suki stood up. 

Kagome couldn't help but notice how short she was. 

"My name is Suki. Like Inuyasha, I am a"- 

"Half demon?" 

"No, no... I am half _angel."_

"Angel...? An _angel!?"_

"Correct, though heavenly maiden would be a much better word to describe me. I am not an angel really." 

Kagome eyed Suki suspiciously. She herself, being a follower of the Shinto religion, had doubted the existence of these creatures for as long as she could remember. "If you're an angel, where are your wings?" 

"I am only half angel. I am not at any such level to be able to"- 

"These angel things have _wings!?"_

Kagome glared at Inuyasha. "Are you meaning to tell me you didn't know what an angel was!?" 

He glared right back. "...Of course I did! I know all about them!" 

"Please, don't argue because of me. I am only here to help you all, Kagome." 

"Wow... Our cause is so important, an angel came to help? Who sent you? The God of the Christians or something? But they're so bigoted!" 

"The God of any religion, is the very same God of the Christians. People just tend to interpret Its words differently. Unfortunately, however, people hungry for power twisted the words of Its prophets." 

"God? A god sent you? What about this master of yours?" 

"My master is known by many names. One of them is God." 

"What name might I know him by? He sounds pretty arrogant to me." 

"It's not a he." 

"Fine. Her!" 

"My master has no gender." 

"No gender? Right." Inuyasha snorted. 

"It's true!" 

"How can something have no gender?" 

It really isn't that hard to understand." 

"How am I supposed to understand anything that's not a man or a woman? How could I _worship_ anything like that!? That's stupid!" 

"Don't ever say that again!" Suki was becoming impatient. Why couldn't she have been assigned to a human to assist? Why a half demon? Humans were so much more respectful, and most of them believed in her master. 

"Why not? I can say whatever I want!" 

"Not against the great creator!" 

"What are you gonna do to stop me, wench!?" 

"Ahem!" 

Suki and Inuyasha both directed their attention to Kagome. 

"You should really change your clothes," said Kagome, laughing a little. 

"My... Clothes?" Suki looked down. 

She wore a white, gown that nicely fitted her torso. The skirt fell down to her ankles, with a long slit up the side, and she wore nothing on her feet. 

"Yes. They make it awfully obvious that you're something special. In my era, it would look like a nightgown. You should try and find something else to wear, or we'll attract more attention then we already do." 

"To hell with her clothes," snapped Inuyasha. "Now that I know what an angel smells like, if I ever smell another, I'll know what it is." 

"Well... I think Kagome is right. My clothes are awfully strange, for this era anyway. But I did think it better than coming here naked." 

"Yes, I do like to keep my food in my stomach!" Inuyasha smirked. 

Suki's faced flushed. "You're already impossible!" 

"Sit!" 

Inuyasha, in less than a second, found his face against the ground. 

"We need all the help we can get! It's bad enough that you and Kouga fight, but Suki never did anything to you!" 

"She's a bitch!" snapped Inuyasha. 

Suki sighed. 

"Be right back..." Kagome shook her head in frustration, and kneeled down to open her pack. She dug out one of her school uniforms. "See here? You can wear this." 

"Okay. I'll go change." Suki was about to just take off her clothes, when Kagome stopped her. 

"What are you doing...?" 

"I was about to change clothes, like you told me to." 

"Suki... It's a custom here on Earth to... Well... Change clothes out of the presence of other people." 

Suki sighed, remembering again that humans seemed to have a taboo against letting others see their naked bodies. She herself didn't see what was so terrible. _However... As humans say... When in Rome, do as the Romans do..._ She nodded and ran behind a nearby rock. 

"You're too short. It'll look terrible on you!" 

Suki was getting tired of Inuyasha's mouth. She was tempted to say something mean, and then scolded herself. _He is half demon after all..._

Kagome and Inuyasha noticed, once Suki came out, that she resembled a little girl dressing up in her older sister's clothes. 

"I just thought of something else," mumbled Inuyasha. "Your hair. How many yellow haired people do you see around here?" 

"Well, if it's a matter of that, maybe I should have just kept my dress." 

"An angel is a demon's opposite, right?" 

_So much for him knowing all about angels..._ Kagome smiled a little. _Inuyasha..._

"Yes, that's true." 

"_I_ may be willing to travel with you, but if any other youkai saw you, Naraku for example... They'd want to get rid of you as soon as possible. I don't think he'd like angels very much." 

"Oh my... I never thought of it that way." _Naraku... That entity that plagues them?_

"You don't seem to think at all! Angel my ass... You're a ditz!" 

She ignored that. "Hmm... Is Naraku that demon I heard you think of? The one who eternally separated you and your Kikyou?" 

_His Kikyou,_ Kagome thought bitterly. 

"If you haven't noticed, we're not separated," said Inuyasha, glancing at Kagome. 

"Ah... I see. An incarnation." She tried to keep her shock concealed. _I should have known. So it's not a matter of taking Kikyou back to the Stairs... It's a matter of putting her back inside Kagome? That'll be harder..._

Kagome resisted the urge to argue her undying belief that she was not Kikyou. 

"Yeah..." Inuyasha quietly sighed. 

"Are you coming with us?" 

"Why, of course. Now, what exactly are we doing?" 

"We're searching for the shards to the _shikon no tama._ Jewel of four souls." 

"And this Naraku? Is he also seeking the shards?" 

"You're awfully dense. Every demon in this realm and all others wants those shards. But I'm better then them all at finding, _and_ taking them." 

"Why, aren't you proud?" 

"And I have a good damned right to be. I've gone through a lot to get the shards we do have. I'd do it again, if I had to. Then I can finally be a full demon." 

"Oh..." Suki tried to hide her surprise that he would wish this. 

"Suki... In the future, does the _shikon_ jewel still exist?" Kagome looked hopeful. 

"I have never even heard of a _shikon no tama."_ I will do the best I can to help you however. My power as a half angel is not that of a holy born." She suddenly looked eastward. "The sun is rising." 

"Wow. You're really quick," Inuyasha scoffed. 

"My point was, shouldn't we be off soon?" 

"Well, now that it's daylight, I'm definitely not sleeping. Too many demons in this realm that want the shards... I don't put any of them above attacking a guy while he's asleep. Kagome, wake Miroku and Shippou up. Sango won't get up until the light covers the ground. And make sure Miroku stays a respectable distance away from Suki, if you know what I mean." 

"Right." Kagome went to wake Miroku, but to her surprise, he was not in his sleeping bag. "Inuyasha, Miroku's gone!" 

"What!? Did he run away again!? Why that"- 

"Lady angel!" 

"Huh!?" 

A rather handsome man with a short black ponytail knelt at her feet. "Lady angel... It is an honor. Allow me to kiss your hand!" 

"So that's where you went!" Inuyasha leapt between Suki and Miroku. "Lech!" Inuyasha kicked Miroku down onto his side. "Kagome, I thought I told you to keep him away from her!" _If that thing's gonna help me, I'm not gonna have Miroku making it difficult!_

Miroku sighed, getting himself back up. "I heard it all, Inuyasha. I know what she is. I will be so honored to have an angel for company." 

"I am only half angel, but thank you for being so kind." 

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. _Oh no... Don't tell me that she's actually charmed by that load of horse shit!_

'And what is your name?" 

"My name is Miroku. I am a monk, serving the great Buddha. I hope to serve you, as well, my lady. 

"Ah, he is such a sweet man. How nice to meet you!" 

Miroku beamed proudly. 

Suki frowned. "Why did you kick him Inuyasha?" 

"Keh! You're no better than Kagome!" He remembered the time that Kagome stood there and drank in all of the pretty things Kouga poured down her throat. _Is that what she wants? What does she think I am? A woman!? I don't have time to write poetry..._ Inuyasha stomped off to wake Shippou. 

"Don't mind him." Miroku climbed to his feet. "He may act rudely at times, but he is truly a good man at heart." 

"Oh, I know that. Don't worry!" 

"Inuyasha, who's that?" A small boy with a ponytail and the legs and tail of a fox clung to Inuyasha's hair, obviously still tired. 

"Get off of me, runt!" Inuyasha swatted Shippou away. 

The poor fox demon managed to land on his feet. He stared at Suki for a minute before a sniff at the air made realization strike. "Wow... You things really exist!" 

Suki couldn't help but stare back. _Fox feet? And a tail?_ "Why, who's this little fellow?" 

"I'm Shippou. A fox demon. Is it true that you're an angel?" 

"Only half." Obviously, an angel hasn't appeared here in quite some time. Or else there would be no fuss." 

Inuyasha looked at Shippou strangely. "You know about these things?" 

"Of course I do! My pa told me all about them!" 

Inuyasha growled, muttered a few words under his breath, and clenched his fist. "Wake Sango up. We're leaving." 

Shippou hopped off of Inuyasha's shoulder, and bounced over to where a pretty young girl, and a cat like creature slept. "Sango! Wake up! Inuyasha says it's time to go!" 

"'Aight, 'aight..." The girl sat up, and rubbed her eyes. "Kirara..." She patted the small animal on the head. "Get up." 

"Your name is Sango?" asked Suki. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Suki." 

Sango raised an eyebrow. "Inuyasha... Who's that?" 

"She's Suki. She's an angel, and she's joining us." 

"Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer," Sango murmured. She figured it best to say nothing more. 

"So, what do we do today?" 

"We go after more shards. Or weren't you listening at all?" _What was I thinking last night? She could very well have been a demon in disguise._

Unbeknownst to Inuyasha, Suki could hear his thoughts. _Oh Inuyasha... I'll do my best to help you..._ She thought longingly of her home. _So that I can return to heaven._

"So... Where to first?" 

"Wherever Kagome senses jewel shards at. That could be anywhere." 

"Strange..." Suki closed her eyes. "You... Sense them?" 

"Yes I do," said Kagome. "And if they're already inside a demon, I can see where, so that we know where to take it from." 

"What does it feel like... To sense them?" 

"As if... Something's drawing me near. It's a very distracting awareness." 

"I feel it too, Kagome. Is it possible that I can sense the shards too?" 

Inuyasha slapped his forehead. "Of course. The pure can sense the shards. It makes sense. You're an angel while she's the incarnation of a priestess." 

"It's this way," said Kagome, pointing east. 

"No... It can't be. I'm sure it's this way." Suki looked to the north. 

"There appear to be two shards nearby, Inuyasha." 

"I think Miroku's right." Kagome nodded. "There _are_ two." 

"Which one is closer?" asked Inuyasha. 

"Both seem to be a pretty equal distance away... Maybe a mile's difference. I have an idea. We don't want to go too far away from either of them. Maybe we can split up into two parties, and"- 

"I will accompany her," said Miroku, moving close to Suki. 

"Split up!? Are you crazy?" Sango stared at Suki. 

"Come on... It can't be that bad," said Kagome. "You and I and Shippou can go get the shard in the east. Sango and Miroku can go to the north with Suki." 

"Eh..." Inuyasha shrugged. "Think you can bear your own, Suki? Miroku and Sango will be too busy fighting to take care of you." 

"...Of course I can!" 

"Then I guess it's alright. You'd just get in my way anyway." 

"We'll meet again here, okay?" Kagome could tell Suki didn't appreciate Inuyasha's constant rudeness, and was trying to keep him from saying anything more. 

"Sure. We'll see you guys later. Two new shards!" Inuyasha walked off happily. 

"Hey, wait for us!" Shippou and Kagome ran after him. 

"Well... We should get going, before whatever demon has it leaves." 

Sango nodded to Kirara, who reverted to her true form. 

Suki stepped back. "Oh my!" 

"Don't be scared," said Sango. "She's a little leery of you, but it's okay. We're going to ride her." 

"Ride her?" 

"She's my my partner. Don't worry. Here." Sango hopped onto Sango's back. "See? Miroku, help her." 

Miroku eagerly helped Suki climb onto the cat demon, and then got on himself. 

"You can hold onto me if you want to. And if you're afraid of heights, don't look down. Tell Kirara where to go. Fly Kirara!" 

Suki latched onto Sango as they took off into the air. She had never flown before, and it was horrifying. With all she knew about physics and the laws of nature, the thought of falling off and her fragile human body being broken to pieces would not go away. "I'm scared!" 

"I won't let you fall, lady angel." Miroku didn't dare touch her however, the teachings of his priesthood freezing his usually groping hands into a state of respect. 

"Where do we go?" Sango couldn't help but be a little suspicious of Suki. _I don't care if she is half angel. I know the look of a fighter when I see one, and this girl knows nothing about it!_

"That way!" Suki pointed. 

"You heard her Kirara. Let's go!" 

They flew for a few minutes, before Suki spoke up again. 

"Over there. Land." 

Kirara landed in the indicated spot, and took on a defensive stance. 

"In that grove of trees... I sense a shard. But..." Suki took on a confused expression. 

"What's wrong?" asked Miroku. 

"It's Inuyasha. He's in there. The life signal I'm getting is Inuyasha's." 

"Life signal...? Right... Are there anymore life signals? Say that of the others?" 

"No. Kagome and the little demon aren't with him." 

"That's strange... Maybe he made them stay behind. Inuyasha can travel faster then Kirara... Kagome's never been wrong..." 

"Maybe for once, the shard was just lying around, and there was no need for a battle." 

"Inuyasha would have gotten our attention somehow... This doesn't feel right." Sango shook her head. "Let's go back and look for the others." 

"Well, if you want. You two go back for Kagome and... Shippou, was it? I'll go to Inuyasha." 

"Leave you here alone?! No. We can't do that." Miroku frowned. 

"You're only going back to look for Kagome and Shippou, right? I'll be fine. Inuyasha seems to have already gotten the shard." 

_She seems so confident that it's Inuyasha... Well, if she's wrong, we'll see how well she can fight._ "She's right, Miroku. We'll be right back, anyhow." His constant fussing over Suki was beginning to annoy Sango. 

"Hmm... Well, if you're sure, lady." _Though I don't foresee any good coming from this... But surely somebody with holy blood cannot be wrong._

She nodded. "It's Inuyasha. I'm positive." 

Sango and Miroku got back onto Kirara. 

"We'll be right back. Tell Inuyasha to wait for us!" 

Suki watched as they flew away, and then proceeded to make her way to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha!" she called. "Do you have it already?" She felt herself pass through something that felt like thick molasses. "What... Is this? Inuyasha!" 

Something hit her head. 

The last thing she saw was white hair before she lost consciousness. 

--------

"Kagome! Shippou!" 

"Huh!? What do you want those two for? _I'm_ the one with our new shard!" Inuyasha proudly held a small piece of crystal in inbetween his thumb and forefinger. 

A smoking corpse of what used to be a demon lay at Inuyasha's feet. 

"He wasn't too difficult... With the Testsusaiga, it was nothing." 

Kagome jumped out of the tree that Inuyasha had insisted she shelter in. 

Shippou jumped out from behind Inuyasha. "Do you guys have the other shard already? Where's the angel thing?" 

"...Well... We left her back there because she told us that she sensed that you Inuyasha was there too. She sent us back to get Kagome and Shippou." 

"Well monk, as you can see, I'm not there either." 

Sango yawned. "She probably wants to prove herself to us by getting a shard of her very own." 

"Or maybe... She's a demon in disguise," suggested Inuyasha. _I'll take her on!_

"No way," said Shippou. "A demon can't take on the scent of something holy. Remember that fake water god Inuyasha? Even with that holy halberd, he smelled of demon." 

"Well, if she truly is something holy, perhaps we should humor her. Let her get the shard. It'll save us some trouble." 

"No..." Kagome bit her lip. "I don't feel good about leaving her there. We should go help her." 

Inuyasha muttered to himself. 

"I think she's right, Inuyasha... Holy thing or not, handling a demon with a shard isn't easy unless you know what you're doing." 

Inuyasha sighed in frustration, not feeling like an argument of morals. "Fine. We'll go and get the stupid angel. Come on Kagome, on my back... You guys take Kirara. Do you remember where you left her?" 

"You bet." Sango climbed onto Kirara. 

Kagome complied, and got onto Inuyasha's back. "You sure you don't want Shippou to ride with us, Sango? It might be a little too much for Kirara." 

Kirara snorted, feeling a little resentment at the thought that anything could be too much for her. 

"No... We'll be alright. Come on, let's go! Hurry up monk!" 

Miroku sighed as he got on behind Sango. "Yes, yes..." 

On the way, Kagome couldn't help wanting to talk to Inuyasha. 

"Do you really think she's here to help us Inuyasha? I mean... You're a half demon wanting the shards for power like anyone else. Why would she want to help you specifically?" 

"How should I know?" Inuyasha asked, though his rhetorical question was also a lie. Of course he wasn't about to tell her that Suki was here to help Kikyou. At least, that's how he had interpreted Suki's words. 

"It just seems a little strange to me..." 

"Just let it alone. Hey Sango! Are we almost there!?" 

"Yes, Inuyasha, in a little bit." 

She's gonna get it after this is all over... Stupid egotistical angel... 

Soon, they were back by the same grove of trees they had left Suki at. 

"Well... Where is she?" 

"We'll have to go in and look for her. I saw her enter the woods as we were leaving." 

"Well, if it means I'll get a shard..." Inuyasha grinned and started in. 

"I wanna go in first!" Shippou bravely ran up to the forest. He was subsequently thrown back by an invisible barrier. 

"...A magic barrier. Oh shit..." Inuyasha sighed angrily. _ Did she make this, in case we figured out her plan?_

"I know what you're thinking Inuyasha..." Kagome thought for a minute. "And whether she or someone else made it, we'll have to break the barrier if we want that shard." 

"Monk... Can you dispel the barrier?" asked Sango. 

"Hmm..." Miroku looked at the entrance to the forest, as if studying the unseeable wall. "I wouldn't be surprised if she made it. This is high grade magic. I could break it... Possibly... But I'll need time." 

"We don't _have_ time Miroku!" snapped Inuyasha. 

"Being late is better then not getting there at all. Have patience, Inuyasha." Miroku sat down, and abruptly slipped into a state of meditation. 

"Great... We're stuck here for who knows how long, while angel bitch in there makes off with our shard!" 

"Inuyasha, what would she want with the shard? If she's really half angel, then all she would do is purify it, right? She wouldn't be able to use it." Sango frowned. "It'd be pointless for her to take it." 

"Unless she's doing what Kikyou tried to do... And completely purify it so that it will vanish forever." 

"But didn't she say that she didn't know what the _shikon no tama_ was!?" 

Kagome sighed. "We shouldn't argue. We might be here a long time... So let's just relax." 

-------

*Although Suki is clearly not Japanese, I named her Suki because I named her in memory of my pet mouse who died. 


	2. Fight Or Flee?

Suki gasped in response to her pounding headache. 

"Look, look, it's waking up!" 

"Go wait over there, behind those trees. Take care of her." 

Suki shook. _Inuyasha? What's going on?_ She managed to force her eyes open. The first thing she saw was the sun, now in its afternoon decline. _But it was morning!_ Suddenly, she stared into a pair golden eyes, framed by beautiful white hair. 

"How nice," she heard him say. "How very sweet..." 

"Inuyasha! Stop!" Suki's eyes widened in fear. 

"Inuyasha?!" The man chuckled. "How can you possibly mistake me for that halfbreed brother of mine?" 

"Brother?" She focused her eyes on him, and beheld a beautiful man, standing tall above her. _But he is not a man at all!_ "You... You are the one he calls Sesshoumaru?" She noticed a giant ball of fluff on his shoulder. She remembered seeing such a man in Inuyasha's thoughts, before coming to Earth. _But it was Inuyasha I sensed... Could they be so much alike apart from their human blood...? My carelessness has gotten me into trouble now..._

"You have a scent of the holy. Who are you?" Sesshoumaru stared at her. 

She saw a great deal of malice in his eyes. "I... I am an angel... Descended to Earth." _Maybe he'll be scared off by that, and let me go._

_She's terrified. I can tell._Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "Angel?!" _However, there's something else there too. I smell human... She's not an angel, she's a halfling! Still, I cannot let her walk the Earth. Anything holy could be a threat._ "In that case, I cannot allow you to live. But, before I kill you, come into the light, so I can see the legendary beauty of an angel while it lives. It is a rare opportunity after all." _I'll force the truth out of her. No one lies to Sesshoumaru!_

_So much for that..._ She tried to stifle a scream as she felt herself being forced to stand. But it wasn't by Sesshoumaru's hands, as he had backed away. _Magic... He's controlling my body!_ She stood in the shadows, wanting to collapse again, and sleep. _I hate this body... Not only is it heavy... But it's so sensitive to pain._ Suki slowly stepped forth out of the shade. 

Sesshoumaru looked her up and down, and finally let his cold gaze settle on her face. "You? An angel? You look like one of those humans from the west!" 

She found that she was standing uncomfortably close to him. "But... I am only... Half angel." She took a step back, but he caught her wrist. 

Sesshoumaru smiled. "I didn't need _you_ to tell me that. You reek of human." _A lovely human nonetheless..._ He grimaced. _I must kill her quickly! Beauty is only skin deep..._ He smiled a little, remembering all of the times people had said that, referring to him. "Let's get this over with. I'm eager to have you dead." 

"What?" 

"Do you have any idea who I _really_ am? Girl, I am _taiyoukai_ of these lands. You are on my territory, and I myself am going to remove you. I'm challenging you, _tennyo._" 

"You want to... _Fight_ me?!" 

"I wouldn't get any satisfaction out of merely slaughtering you." 

"Are you going to eat me?" She had heard of demons who feasted on the flesh of humans, and the flesh of a half angel couldn't be much different. 

"I don't eat human bodies. I imagine they taste terrible. Maybe I'll preserve your body and display you as a trophy. I must admit, I'd enjoy looking at you a lot more if I didn't have to bear your stench." 

_He's as bad as Inuyasha!_ "But... I didn't come to fight. I didn't seek you out!" 

He frowned. _Is that the truth? But that hardly matters... How many humans have I killed in cold blood, simply because they were in my way? But why in all the hells would the heavens send a halfling here?_ He thought a minute more. _She certainly has not been on Earth before. I would have either smelled her, or heard of it. So there is no chance that she was born here. Whatever owns her, what does he want?_ He finally looked at Suki again. 

She shivered. 

"Do you value your mortal body, angel? Is that it?" 

"I..." She found herself unable to answer him. 

"Well, it is too bad then... You're about to lose it. Defend yourself, if you can!" 

Suki watched, eyes wide in horror, imagining how the sword that he was reaching for would slice through her and damage all of her internal organs, and the blood would squirt from her arteries as long as her heart still beat, and how her spinal cord would be sliced in half and then she too would see the light... 

"No! Lord Sesshoumaru, no!" 

Sesshoumaru would have known that voice anywhere. "Rin." He looked down and saw the little girl, her arms thrown around Suki's legs. He shot an angry look over into the brush. "I thought I told you to keep her over there, Jaken!" 

"Aye, m'lord... But... I could not stop her!" 

He sighed. "Rin, what are you doing? Are _you_ trying to get killed too?" 

"No Lord Sesshoumaru... Angels aren't bad." 

Suki wanted to look down and see what had wrapped itself around her. But she was too afraid to move. 

"Don't make her disappear, Lord Sesshoumaru. Please? Maybe she can stay with Rin?" 

_Of course... Humans believe angels to be benevolent forces of good. I only know that they have no tolerance for demons._ "Tell me, _tennyo..._ What is your name?" 

"...Suki." 

"Suki. Beloved. That isn't a very fitting name for a angel... I am curious as to why you have a name of this land. Your hair is yellow and your eyes are round. Your human parent was clearly not from _Nippon._ Is Suki your only name?" 

"Can she stay with Rin Lord Sesshoumaru?" 

"Hush, Rin. Go back to Jaken." 

Rin obediently unwound herself from Suki, and walked back into the shadows. 

Sesshoumaru turned back to Suki. "Well?" _If I'm going to kill her, I cannot do it around Rin._

"It's all anybody's ever called me." 

"I have travelled to the west, and seen others that look like you. I want to give you one of _their_ names." 

Rin and Jaken stood there, watching, Jaken whispering to her. 

"Just watch, lass, as Lord Sesshoumaru slashes that horrible creature to ribbons!" 

Rin looked hopeful. "No." 

"Stupid girl. She _will_ die." 

"...What do you mean?" Suki finally was able to answer Sesshoumaru. 

"I mean that I'm going to give you a new name." He looked down into her eyes, grabbing her shoulders. Touching her still disgusted him, but it would all pay off in the long run. He did love the look of the face of a terrified woman, and the fact that she was of holy blood made it even better. 

Suki tried to ignore his talons, which had torn through her clothes, and were about to do the same to her skin. 

"I will name you Sidra." 

"Star born," she whispered. 

"Angels are celestial creatures." 

"...There's another reason you chose that name." 

_Must I barrier my mind from her too?_ "I visited the west once, while searching for the grave of my father. A girl mistook me for a human, and made the mistake of trying to approach me." 

"What did you do to her?" 

"I killed her." 

"...And her name was Sidra." 

"I did rather like that name." 

"It's pretty..." She lowered her head, her white face tinged with pink. She couldn't help but sense that there was more to the story than that, but she was unable to see any further. Her mind was barred from his. 

Sesshoumaru was enjoying the mental torture he knew he was inflicting on her. "What are you doing here, Sidra? Surely your kind do not come here without purpose." 

"I cannot tell you that." 

_How amusing this is! I could like this._ He suddenly was stricken with an idea. _If I were to humor Rin... And take her with me... The healing powers of something holy could be useful. And think of the humiliation she would suffer... Working for a demon. And I have nothing to fear from her power, she's only a little thing. If she would rebel, it would be nothing to kill her._

She tried to read his mind again, but all she could find was something that would seem like static, if she knew what static was. _He can't be thinking anything good... No! I won't let him control me!_ "I must go back to Inuyasha." Suki summoned up the courage to step away. 

"You will not." 

"What?" 

"You're not going back to Inuyasha. Rin wants you to come with us." 

Her eyes widened in terror, her mind screaming for him to obey him, his each and every word... 

"I've decided to let you live for now. After all, you did not answer my question. Rin, Jaken, come here." 

Rin and Jaken were at Sesshoumaru's side in an instant. 

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what can you be thinking?! You're a _taiyoukai,_ and she's a"- 

Sesshoumaru kicked Jaken to the side. "Say hello to Rin. It is to her that you owe your life." 

Suki, cheering up a bit at the sight of a little child, fell to one knee. "Hello, Rin." 

Rin was overjoyed. She would have her very own angel that would love her and watch over her. "Hello white lady! You're going to come with Rin and Lord Sesshoumaru?" 

"This is Sidra, Rin. And yes, she is coming with us." 

Rin grinned. "Now we can play together! I know lots of games! Did you really come here to watch over me?" 

"Rin, quiet for now. Come along, Sidra." He grabbed her wrist, letting his talons prick her this time. "But remember... Any attempts to escape will be fatal." 

She couldn't help noticing that his hand was cold. 

"Hey Sesshoumaru!" 

"Inuyasha?" Suki turned her head. "Inuyasha!" 

"Let go of my angel! I found her first!" Inuyasha glowered, Kagome and the others standing behind him. 

Kagome smiled a little. _Silly Miroku... It took him all of that time just to deduct that one of her arrows would banish the barrier?_

Sesshoumaru shook his head in disgust. "Must you seek your death tonight, Inuyasha?" 

"Suki, use some of your magic or something!" Inuyasha was lusting for Sesshoumaru's blood himself, but he was curious as to what an angel could do to a demon. 

"I... Can't." 

"Why the hell not?!" 

She looked down. "I just can't. I can't... Hurt him." _And I can't use battle magic either... But... I can't let them know that!_

Inuyasha slapped his forehead. "You and your holy emotional trash... He's evil Suki! He wants to hurt you!" 

Sesshoumaru looked down at Rin. "You and Sidra hide." 

"Sidra!? Her name is Suki, idiot!" 

Rin grabbed Suki. "Come on Sidra! We can have fun while Lord Sesshoumaru is busy!" 

Suki, not being able to stand the idea of hurting the little girl's feelings by immediately running back to Inuyasha, followed Rin. 

"I gave her a new name. She doesn't seem to mind." 

"What the hell have you been doing with her?!" 

"Why does that matter? Out of my way, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru turned his back, as if to walk away.. "I have no time for you." 

"You had time for me before, when you sought to kill me! Why not now!? I sure as hell have the time... I'm going to take back my angel!" 

Sesshoumaru sighed, and shook his head. "I can see why you would want it, Inuyasha. You're so slow. Holy aid _would_ help you, wouldn't it? What does it do, give you magic to make you faster? Articulate movement? Does she give you some actual _skill?_ That's disgraceful, however Inuyasha, especially seeing as how you want to become a full demon." He smiled slightly. "Pathetic." 

"I don't need _her_ to kill you, Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha seethed. "I have some honor, unlike _you!"_ Inuyasha, teeth clenched, charged at his brother, drawing the Tetsusaiga. 

Kagome, prepared an arrow to disable Sesshoumaru with. _We can't risk Suki..._

"Will we be fighting too, Kagome?" 

Kagome nodded to Sango. "Inuyasha doesn't like us to help when Sesshoumaru's concerned, but there's more lives than Inuyasha's at stake this time." 

"Then stand back Kagome...!" Sango threw the Hiraikotsu at Sesshoumaru. _Please hit..._

Miroku watched with anticipation as the giant boomerang flew through the air towards Sesshoumaru. For just a moment, it seemed that it would hit. 

Inuyasha turned his head to glare at Sango. 

Sesshoumaru drew the Toukijin and intercepted the Hiraikotsu's flight with one swing of his sword. He paid it no more attention then, and turned back to Inuyasha. 

"Now stay out of it Sango!" Inuyasha swung his sword, and the usual blinding light emerged from the fang as it transformed. 

Sesshoumaru smiled slightly. "If you insist, Inuyasha!" 

Inuyasha ran at Sesshoumaru, swinging the sword at his middle. 

It didn't take much effort for Sesshoumaru to block with Toukijin. 

Inuyasha kept pushing, however. "You tricked her!" 

"Trick her? I did nothing of the sort." He finally won out, and Inuyasha jumped back a few feet away. 

"She disturbed me... So I captured her. That is all." 

"Inuyasha, he has the shard!" Kagome shouted. "It's in his shoe!" 

"You _did_ trick her!" Inuyasha swung again, trying to sniff out the wound of the wind. _If he'd just stay still for a few fucking seconds...!_

Suki, turning back and forth to Rin and the battle between the two brothers, was getting a headache. _Sesshoumaru's the stronger warrior... It's so apparent, it's distressing... But I can't let Inuyasha be killed! What can I do...?_

"You're gonna come with us, aren't you?" 

"Rin... I..." Suki bit her lip. 

"Don't think Lord Sesshoumaru's bad. Lord Sesshoumaru saved Rin. Rin died and Lord Sesshoumaru saved Rin." 

"Sesshoumaru... Saved you? You died? But... No, you can't have died." _Unless the master Itself willed it that she lived, but why would this little girl be so important? _

"But I did! Lord Sesshoumaru told me I did. I remember seeing a great white light, but then Rin woke up. And Lord Sesshoumaru was there." 

_Has that demon somehow found a way to defy death? I never should have come here!_ "What about your real parents?" 

"They died. Lord Sesshoumaru said he couldn't bring them back. But he takes care of me. Maybe he wants you to help take care of me! I don't like old Jaken, he's mean..." 

Jaken sniffed, but didn't say anything. He didn't want to bring some kind of curse upon himself by having anything to do with Suki. _I hate that thing... Why won't Sesshoumaru just kill it!?_

Suki looked sadly down at the little girl. _How can I leave her alone with that man? Surely a demon can have no good purpose in taking an innocent child around with him..._ She looked over toward the battle, which Sesshoumaru was still winng. _Inuyasha swings his sword so clumsily... Why?_

Sesshoumaru was dodging most of Inuyasha's attacks, getting slightly brushed every now and then. 

But Inuyasha was in no mood to be beaten tonight. He was scratched in many places, and the evil aura of the sword sickened him, but he wasn't to be swayed. Inuyasha landed on his toes, holding the blade back, noticing that Sesshoumaru was finally keeping in one spot. He was about to attack, when Sesshoumaru spoke. 

"What is the angel to you, Inuyasha?" 

"She's _my_ angel!" His eyes darkened. "And you're dead!" He flew at Sesshoumaru, and the exchange of blows began again. 

Kagome looked at Sango and Miroku. "Listen. Suki went over there with something... I couldn't see what, but it was probably that disgusting toad demon. Why don't two of us go get her, so we can leave? He's not going to get anywhere with his brother this way. Not unless he... Would let go of the Tetsusaiga, and we can't let him do that." 

"Why is he holding back using the wound of the wind? _That_ would hurt Sesshoumaru." Miroku nodded to himself. "It wouldn't kill him, but it would at least let us retrieve Suki with no fuss." 

"Suki's too close..." said Kagome. "I can tell... Even though he just met her, he wants her alive... For some reason." 

Miroku chuckled. "Are you implying that _you don't_ want her alive?" 

"Of course not! That's terrible of you to say!" 

"Indeed Miroku, Kagome isn't so full of malice that she'd want her dead. She's caused us trouble today, but I don't think she meant to." "Exactly. I was only jesting, Lady Kagome. Now, let's go get her, so that we can end this." 

Sango nodded. "Kagome, you and Shippou come. I'll come back for you Miroku. You back Inuyasha in case he needs you." 

Miroku nodded. "Keep them safe." Miroku looked around for the _saimyoushou,_ prepared to unleash the wind tunnel if necessary. 

Kagome and Sango climbed onto Kirara, and took off into the air in Suki's direction. 

"Suki!" 

Suki looked up, only to see Kirara coming close, Kagome's hand outstretched to her. 

"Come on Suki, let's get out of here!" 

"But..." Suki looked helplessly at Rin. 

"Angel, aren't you going to come with us? You can see your other friends later, can't you?" 

Sango sighed. "Suki, we don't have time for this! Let's go! It's because of you that Inuyasha can't strike the wound of the wind! If we don't get out of here, he may be killed!" 

"I cannot just leave this poor child in the care of a demon!" 

Shippou studied Rin closely. "What's her name Suki?" 

"It's Rin, and it seems she's been travelling with Sesshoumaru. And I will _not_ leave her!" 

Rin stayed silent. She was confident that Suki was telling her friends to come back another time, that she would play with them later. 

Kagome cast a fearful glance at Inuyasha, who had just barely missed getting run through by Toukijin. "Alright! Grab her, and let's go!" 

"Rin... Listen to me very carefully." 

"Yes, white lady?" 

"You're going to come and stay with me and Sesshoumaru's brother for awhile, alright?" 

"But..." 

"You'll have fun! I promise!" Suki picked Rin up. "And... Everything will be okay! I promise!" 

This worried Rin. Never since waking up from that strange sleep did she ever imagine she'd leave Sesshoumaru's side. She looked longingly at him, wondering why he wasn't coming too, as she was flown away on Kirara. 

Jaken watched this spectacle with mixed feelings. He personally _wanted_ that hideous girl and the child to go away. Then he and Sesshoumaru could go back to the way things were before. But then again, he was afraid of what Sesshoumaru would do to him if he just let them get away. He decided that the company of two girls was preferable to death. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken jumped, pointing wildly. "The angel has escaped! And Rin with her!" 

Sesshoumaru looked up. _Blast!_ Sesshoumaru knew that without Suki in the way, Inuyasha would use the wound of the wind, and he didn't know if Toukijin would be any protection from it. _I could pursue them... Rin..._ He knew exactly who was responsible, and what she had been thinking. "Well, she most certainly has to die now. But I'll let her think she's won, just for now..." 

"What was that Sesshoumaru!? Come on, let's finish this!" 

"Not today, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru sheathed Toukijin. 

"You're afraid, aren't you!? Coward!" Inuyasha charged again. 

Sesshoumaru flicked his wrist as Inuyasha made ready to stab him, and all Inuyasha saw a bright light before he was blown away as if he were no more than a twig. 

"I'm not afraid Inuyasha. I'm just giving your friends a head start in their game of hide and seek. That's all. You should get going Inuyasha... You have three days." Sesshoumaru took off into the air. 

"Lord Sesshoumaru, wait for me!" Jaken ran after him, keeping up as best he could. 

Inuyasha just lay there for a minute, dazed. "Three days..." 

"Inuyasha, Kagome and the others got away. Are you alright?" 

"Yeah..." Inuyasha sat up. "Did you hear him, Miroku?" 

"How could I not?" 

"He said _three days._ Three days until what?" 

"Hmm... When the others flew away, I saw that Suki was carrying a child in her arms." 

"A child? Like... What kind of child?" 

"I could make out that it was a little girl with black hair. That's all." 

"Some servant whelp of Sesshoumaru's no doubt... But three days... Until what?" 

"Perhaps... Three days... Until he comes back." 

"Let him. I'll kill him..." 

"Well, the others will be waiting for us. Let's go." 

------

Kagome, Shippou, Sango, and Suki were waiting for them back at their meeting place. 

"Inuyasha! You're alright!" Kagome looked relieved. 

"Yeah, so I am." Inuyasha turned around, glaring at Suki, who was holding a rather large bundle in her arms. "What the hell happened Suki?" Inuyasha demanded as soon as she was in earshot. "And what's _that?"_

"I don't know... I went to where I sensed the jewel shard and... Then I was attacked. I woke up not much before you came." 

"That's easy!" chirped the bundle in Suki's arms. "Sesshoumaru thought you were coming to fight him, so he hit you over the head!" 

"Oh... Um... Inuyasha..." Kagome looked down at the ground. "We kind of had to bring back... Something with us." 

"So I noticed." Inuyasha poked Rin. "Who are you?" 

"This is Rin!" Suki finally set her down. 

"Alright then. Why is _Rin_ here?" 

"Simple," sighed Sango. "Either we took her with us, or we left both her and Suki there with Sesshoumaru." 

"So..." Shippou jumped in front of Rin, who only stared at him. "What were you doing hanging around with a jerk like Sesshoumaru anyway? Were you his prisoner or something?" 

Rin shook her head. 

"My name's Shippou. We won't hurt you, I promise!" 

"Alright, look!" Inuyasha was getting frustrated. "Sesshoumaru ran away, declaring that we had _three days_ which according to Miroku means that in three days, he's coming back!" 

"So... Lord Sesshoumaru's going to come after all?" Rin's eyes brightened up. 

Kagome sighed. "Rin..." She couldn't help but already feel an attachment to this little girl. What way was there to explain to her that they meant to take her away from Sesshoumaru forever? 

"Did you get the other shard, Inuyasha?" 

"Yeah. No problem." He held the glinting piece of jewel between his fingers, staring almost lovingly at it. "But... Damnit... This means that Sesshoumaru has a shard!" 

"Yes!" Rin grinned. "He let me hold it once! But what are we going to do until Lord Sesshoumaru comes back?" 

"Listen kid. Don't you get it yet? We have to either _get away_ from Sesshoumaru, or kill him. If we don't, me, you, and everyone else will _die!"_

"Be quiet Inuyasha! Are you trying to scare her!?" 

"Lord Sesshoumaru never yelled," Rin whispered. 

"So," said Sango. "What do we do? Do we run, or do we fight?" 

"The answer should be obvious." Inuyasha patted the hilt of his sword. "We fight!" 

"Inuyasha." Suki stood up. "I'll tell you like it is! You _can't_ fight him, because if you do, he'll win!" She pointed to the others. "And not only will you die, but they will too. Accept it Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru is stronger!" 

"Pah!" 

"Hey!" Kagome stamped her foot. "Maybe all we need is a strategy. But we can't figure that out in three days... The holidays are coming up for me at home. Why don't we go there for awhile... Until we can figure something out?" 

Suki sighed. It was only her first day here, and already things were going wrong. _How am I supposed to accomplish my mission if I'm hundreds of years away from Kikyou!?_

Inuyasha was thinking the same thing. But he certainly felt no sympathy for Suki's homesickness. _The sooner she leaves, the better for everyone! But she won't be any good to me if Sesshoumaru kills her or kidnaps her. Damn... Looks like I'm gonna have to wait._ Inuyasha threw his hands up. "Fine! Whatever!" 

Suki hung her head. "I'm sorry everyone..." 

"What's done is done, Lady Suki," said Miroku. "You meant no harm, we know that." 

"Oh... Yeah... Wait, guys." 

"Yeah Kagome?" Inuyasha was exasperated. 

"What would I do with you all? And how would we cover you guys' identities up? We'd have to go shopping, I think. And I don't have enough money to outfit all of you!" 

"I don't think that will be a problem," said Suki. "I am half angel after all... I think I could get you all some normal clothes." 

"What's wrong with my clothes!?" demanded Inuyasha. 

"It wouldn't exactly... Fit in with the times." 

"And then Shippou has fox feet and a tail, and Inuyasha has dog ears. What are we gonna do about _that?"_

Inuyasha looked at Shippou. "You can take on the appearance of a human, can't you? I've seen you change into _Kagome_ before." 

"Well... I'll try!" Shippou grinned. 

All but Inuyasha stepped back from the big puff of smoke that followed. 

Inuyasha made his way through the smoke, trying to see if Shippou had gotten it right. 

When the smoke had cleared, they were all surprised. 

Shippou had turned himself into a small human boy. He wavered around a bit. "Whoa... I'm not used to having human legs." 

Rin clapped her hands in delight. 

Kagome grinned. "Shippou... You're adorable!" 

"Really? I did a good job?" Shippou pranced around, an air of pride about him. 

"Perfect job," said Suki. "But can you hold that?" 

"I've never tried to hold an illusion for a long time... I dunno." Shippou scratched his head. 

"Worry about that later, I guess... Now Inuyasha, about your ears..." 

"Is there any spell you can put on him Suki?" asked Miroku. 

Suki sighed. "No... Not right now..." "What do you mean, 'not right now?' When _can_ you then?" Inuyasha crossed his arms. "I have yet to actually _see_ you do anything useful so far!" 

"I'm still... Weak, from my fall! I'll get stronger! But, until then.... Kagome, is there anything that Inuyasha might use to cover his head?" 

"Cover my head? No!" 

"Sit!" 

Inuyasha slammed face first into the ground. "Curse you..." 

"What _is_ that anyway?" asked Suki. "That's the second time I've seen you do that." 

"Magic, basically." 

"Can I do it?" 

"No!" shouted Inuyasha. 

"Well Suki, I'm the one who shouted the word of submission... So no, I doubt it. And yeah, he can wear a hat or a bandanna or something." 

"Anyway... If that's all there is to it, then this should be simple. But Kagome... Please don't tell your mother what I am. Or anyone else for that matter." 

Kagome nodded. 

"But... How will we go back to your time?" 

"Through the well." 

_Well?_ Suki had known that Kagome was from a different era, but she had never bothered to look into how she went back and forth. 

Sango readied Kirara. "Get on you two," she said to Miroku and Suki. 

They hastily obeyed, as Shippou and Kagome climbed onto Inuyasha's back. 

They didn't have to travel far. Or maybe it just didn't seem like it. They all had quite a bit to think about. 

"What well?" asked Suki, finally. 

"Lady Kagome travels between the times with a magic well," answered Miroku. 

"Here we are," said Sango, jumping off. "Well, are we ready?" Sango didn't dare admit that she felt nervous. _Five hundred years... A lot can happen in five hundred years..._

"Um... Sango?" asked Kagome. 

"Yes?" 

"Are you going to bring Kirara with you?" 

"Oh..." Sango's eyes darkened a bit at the thought of leaving behind her beloved friend. But she shook her head. "No... I'll leave her here." Sango turned her head to the large cat. "Kirara, I'm going to leave for a little while. I'll be back soon, alright?" Sango put her arms around Kirara. 

They could all hear the cat demon purr. "Be careful, okay? Go Kirara!" Sango blinked back tears. 

Kirara moved her head in what seemed like a nod, and ran into the shadows, disappearing completely. "It's okay Sango... We shouldn't be gone that long." Kagome patted her back. 

"I know... It's just that I haven't ever parted with Kirara...." 

"Okay, enough! Are we ready to go?" 

"Inuyasha, you're so insensitive!" 

"Well I just want to get this over with! We don't have time to let her sit around and whine!" 

Suki sighed and shook her head. "Shippou you don't have to hold that disguise for now." 

"You sure?" 

"Yeah... My mom's already seen Inuyasha. A little boy with fox feet shouldn't bother her too much..." 

Shippou nodded, and reverted. "Okay!" 

"Well, are we ready? We're all gonna have to jump in at the same time... We don't all have jewel shards to take us through. So if we're not touching, somebody won't go through." 

"All of us... In there?" Miroku looked skeptical. 

"Yes, in there! Scared Miroku?" Inuyasha jeered. 

"Of course not." Miroku could be heard uttering a small prayer. 

"We can't waste any time with second thoughts. Let's just do this. Join hands everyone." 

They all did as directed. 

Sango almost kicked Miroku when she felt him squeeze her hand. 

"On the count of three, we'll jump." 

"White lady, where are we going?" 

"A trip, Rin, do not worry." Suki gripped her hand tightly. "I won't let anything bad happen to you." 

"Okay... Again... Let's count to three." "To hell with that," said Inuyasha. "I'm jumping now!" With that, Inuyasha jumped into the well, pulling everyone else with him. Their screams echoed through the trees of the forest of Inuyasha. When they faded, all that was left was the remains of a campfire. 

--------

"Ow..." Kagome opened her eyes. 

"Getoffame!" 

"Huh?" 

"Getoutofthewellstupid!" 

Kagome recognized Inuyasha's voice, and concluded that _they_ at least had made it through. _But what about the others?_

With an 'encouraging' jab from Inuyasha, Kagome began to climb her way out of the well. 

"About fuckin' time," muttered Inuyasha, as he jumped out. "Don't worry, the others are there." 

A few groans came from inside the well. 

"Are you guys all right?" asked Kagome. 

Miroku was in heaven, having two pretty girls lying on top of him. 

"Let me out first!" Sango scrambled out of the well as fast as she could. "Lecherous monk..." 

"Well, that means that Miroku made it," Kagome said to herself. "Hey Suki! You down there? And Rin?" 

"I'm fine! And I have Rin. But can someone help me out?" 

"Let me be of assisstance Lady Suki." 

"Thank you Miroku!" 

Miroku kept Suki in one arm as he climbed his way out of the well. 

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them both. "But... Where's Shippou?" 

"He's... Not up here?" asked Miroku. 

"Oh no..." Kagome brought a hand to her mouth. 

"Boo!" Shippou fell from the ceiling. 

"Shippou!" Kagome scooped the little fox demon up into her arms and hugged him. 

"Tricked ya!" 

"Yeah... You sure did. Don't do that anymore!" 

"Stop. We have to go meet Kagome's family, and make sure that our plan is secure." Miroku looked around. 

"Um... Everyone." Kagome cleared her throat. "You gotta realize that this world is very, very different from yours. There are gonna be a lot of things that you don't understand or recognize at all. Try not to make a big deal. I'll teach you what you need to know. And Suki will try to work out some clothes for you as soon as she can..." 

Suki nodded. 

"Let me go talk to my mom guys. All of you stay here!" Kagome climbed the steps, and disappeared through the door. 

"It's night here too, I guess." Sango had noticed the darkness outside the door. "It can't be _that_ different..." 

"Trust me..." Inuyasha snorted. "It is. Normal people eat all they want here, and sleep in soft beds, and take hot baths every night if they want. " 

"Whoa..." Sango was speechless. 

"So?" asked Shippou. "I've never gone hungry before. My pa gave me whatever I wanted." 

"Right... Anyway..." 

"I'm back!" Kagome looked down into the well house. "Mom says you can all come in. She seems excited for some reason..." 

The whole lot followed Kagome to a house that to Sango and Miroku, was awfully large. 

"Kagome's family must be important people..." 

"This is a shrine Sango. Her mother must be the village priestess. No wonder Kagome was endowed with such powers..." 

Rin just stared straight ahead. 

Even Shippou's eyes widened as they entered Kagome's home. "Wow... What's that? And that?" 

"Oh my goodness!" Before Shippou could attack a table lamp, he was in the arms of a smiling woman. 

"He's so adorable! Oh Kagome, where did you find such a cute little boy? And such furry little feet!" 

"You mean..." Sango was almost dumbfounded. "You don't mind that he's a demon?" 

"Oh, ever since Kagome fell into the well so long ago, we've been having all sorts of strange things happen! We've gotten quite used to demons"- 

"I haven't!" declared an old man. "What entity of great power are you, that you could break through the well _again!?"_ He pointed at Inuyasha. "You weren't strong enough alone this time, were you? You had to bring friends!" 

"Good sir." Miroku knelt before Kagome's grandfather. "You surely have been trained in the priesthood?" 

The small man tried to stand up tall and look powerful. "I am the latest in a long line of priests who have been protecting the Sunset Shrine from all sorts of evil"- 

"Well then, sir, as a monk myself, I can tell you that Shippou and Inuyasha aren't a bad sort. They will do no dishonor to your shrine while they are here." 

"Mom, my friends need to stay here for a little while... Is that okay?" 

"Well, that would be wonderful Kagome!" 

"White lady, where are we?" 

"Oh... There's a little girl too? Is this her little sister?" Kagome's mother looked at Sango. 

"Uh... Yeah. This is Sango's little sister, Rin." 

This only made Sango think about Kohaku, and that made her uncomfortable. 

"Her parents had to go away on... Business. So she thought that Rin could just stay with Sango, but Sango wanted to come over here, so"- 

"And who is this?" Mrs. Higurashi studied Suki for a moment. "You must be an American. Is that what you are? An American? Or are you from Europe? I would suspect that you are from northern Europe, but you're not tall enough..." 

"Well..." Suki was confused. 

"Yes! She's an exchange student." Kagome grinned. 

"But her name is Japanese." 

"My parents were very into your country's culture!" blurted Suki. "And I am their first and only child, and so... My name is Suki." 

"Well, that makes sense! You speak our language very well!" Mrs. Higurashi returned to being cheerful. "You children look like you've been outside a lot today..." She eyed Shippou and Rin. "And so do you!" She pointed at Inuyasha. "You three should take baths before you go to bed." 

"Kagome," whispered Suki. "Your mother doesn't even seem phased by any of this. Is there something wrong with her?" 

"She's pretty liberal... She didn't even seem to care when I went missing for three days. I guess she trusts that I won't get into trouble or bring trouble _here."_

"A bath?" Inuyasha sniffed. "No woman's gonna make _me_ take a bath!" 

"Inuyasha, just do it!" hissed Kagome. 

Inuyasha sighed. It was going to be a long few weeks...


End file.
